Ex-Labour president Mike Williams reminded that thousands of voters previously registered for the Chch central/east suburbs have been displaced outside Chch and many will be special votes. They'll skew left (though presumably be subject to the same trend in party votes to NZ First and Greens).

Mike williams said on tv1 tonight that specials are about 4000 in each of the quake-hit electorates, he included Chch Central and Waimak in that.. Specials will usually tend left -Labour or Green but who knows.

What will be interesting to find out is how many votes/what percentage each party needs in the specials for seats to change. Ideally if the Greens could pick up another seat at National’s expense – this would make things really interesting. Be some fun playing with stats in the next few days.

Can we stick Trotter and Lhaws in a cage and may the best rabid dog win? I think Trotter (and those of his ilk in the party he represents - Waitakere Man is a good one) is reason #1 I still refuse to vote Labour when I have a choice (although I was happy to cast an electorate vote for Annette King).

I've spent a very cool day scrutineering on behalf of the Greens at Northland School in Wellington. Smiled at every voter whose eye I could catch in an organic, environmentally friendly and ecologically sustainable manner :)

Realised I was one of a very select group in the country allowed (required by law actually) to wear my party colours on my sleeve today.

Had great chats with the National Party scrutineer sitting next to me (crazy I know!) who turned out to have tons of lefty mates, rides a bike to work, recycles everything and doesn't really agree with asset sales. I reckon he's a closeted lefty who hasn't quite admitted it to himself yet.

Didn't mind that out of the three party scrutineers at our polling station (Greens, Labour and National) I was the only one not to get deliveries of food from party central throughout the day. Decided I'd much rather the Greens spent their funds on electioneering rather than feeding us. National guy shared his food with me instead. Heh.

Decided to stay to watch the count once the doors closed at 7pm. Fascinating process - neat counting method actually - and felt very happy to have played my part in our democratic process on behalf of a party of which I'm very proud to be a member.

Now watching TV One and surfing the net and trying not to think about Banks and Dunne both getting back in. Not to mention Winston First. Sigh.

4000 with that possible lean seems like a pretty reasonable number to help those electorates retain their current MPs. I don't think party votes will make an appreciable difference now, unless the Greens can pull another one of their hat (or Winnie's crew, god help us)

Wandered down to our local school on a lovely sunny day, although I was a bit disappointed that the school wasn't being a bit more entrepreneurial on the sausage sizzle front: one of the mums at Petone Central makes a mean chop suey every school fair day and I was hungry.

One of the things that pleased me most was the number of potentially marginalised NZers out voting - Jackson Street can look a bit white on the average Saturday afternoon, but not today. Nice.

I was disappointed my 'Yes I've voted' sticker wouldn't stay stuck though - the footpaths around the booth were littered with orange.

65 per cent turn-out; WTF? I just cannot get past that as an astounding figure. Voter turn-out usually around 80 per cent. So with the Nats just scraping in at 48%, it’s hardly a resounding mandate. Is Key delaying speaking until he gets over the tantrum?

3700 specials in Chch Central. Often go left but these will be made up of people who were shifted because of the quakes which may average it outGoing to be a nail biter and may end up on the toss of a coin, that is what they do if after all the recounts etc it is still equal